Core Courses
The SSGP two-course core sequence is a required sequence for all students who accept an SSGP fellowship. The sequence is also open to other qualified students depending on availability of space. For further information, please contact the core course coordinator.
Fall Semester, 2003 - Terrestrial Subsurface Processes I
Course Description: This 3-credit course is the first of a two-course graduate introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur in the uppermost part of the Earth’s crust (nominally the first few hundred meters) in terrestrial environments. Topics in course I include subsurface architecture, deformational processes, surficial processes, and chemical processes. The pedagogical goal is a unified treatment that provides as much technical breadth and depth as possible with emphasis on a common vocabulary. Prerequisites: 1 year each of physics, chemistry, biology, and calculus, plus consent of instructor.
Schedule:
Wednesdays and Fridays
11:40AM -12:55PM Mountain
Method of Delivery: H.323 Videoconferencing
First Class: August 27, 2003
Last Class: December 12, 2003
Final Exam: Week of December 15-19, 2003Spring Semester, 2004 - Terrestrial Subsurface Processes II
Course Description: This 3-credit course is the second of a two-course graduate introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological processes that occur in the uppermost part of the Earth’s crust (nominally the first few hundred meters) in terrestrial environments. Topics in course II include subsurface microbiological processes, kinetically driven biogeochemical processes, and flow and transport processes. The pedagogical goal is a unified treatment that provides as much technical breadth and depth as possible with emphasis on a common vocabulary. Prerequisites: Terrestrial Subsurface Processes I plus consent of instructor.
Schedule:
To Be Announced
Elective Courses
Elective courses are offered to enhance the availability of subsurface science courses at the INRA universities and also at the INEEL in Idaho Falls. An SSGP fellowship recipient is not required to take any SSGP electives unless directed to do so by his/her host program advisor.
Fall Semester, 2003 – Subsurface Contaminant Bioremediation
Course Description: This 3-credit course will be offered to graduate students from subsurface science-related disciplines. This course will be taught asynchronously using text books supplemented by web-based tutorial material supplied by the instructor. Communication between students and instructor will be set up via e-mail, conference call, and (possibly) live using INRA’s telecommunication system. The goal of the course is to provide students from multiple disciplines with a fundamental understanding of the subsurface processes, both biotic and abiotic, which contribute to the bioremediation of common subsurface contaminants including petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, nitroaromatics, heavy metals and radionuclides. Subsurface bioremediation is controlled by abiotic processes including multiphase flow, convective mass transport, adsorption/desorption, and phase partitioning, as well as biotic processes, such as microbial biomass growth and contaminant metabolism. Three interactive spreadsheet-based models (including EQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING MODEL, BIOSCREEN and BIOCHLOR) will be used in this course for self-directed problem solving and concept demonstration. These models will serve as tools for in-depth quantitative demonstration of the interactions among various bioremediation-related processes (see Course Syllabus on page 3 for specific topics covered in this course).
Instructor: Dr. A. B. (Al) Cunningham, Department of Civil Engineering at Montana State University (406-994-6109; al_c@erc.montana.edu)
Schedule:
Method of Delivery: Asynchronous
First Week of Class: August 25-29, 2003
Last Week of Class: December 8-12, 2003
Final Exam Week: December 15-19, 2003
Registration: Interested students should be graduate students at an INRA university and should register at their home university. Contact the graduate dean for details.
Course Summary: Sub.Cont.Bio.Fall.2003.pdf
Fall Semester, 2003 – Computational Methods in the Subsurface Sciences
Course Description: This course will introduce the concepts of computational methods and subsurface modeling in an integrated framework. Topics will include (1) programming and visualizing in a UNIX environment; (2) introduction/review of subsurface flow concepts; (3) survey of computational and numerical methods, finite difference and finite element methods in subsurface flow; (4) subsurface modeling concepts in reactive processes, method of characteristics, particle tracking methods, numerical dispersion effects, parameter estimation, stochastic modeling and uncertainty; and (5) parallel programming. Students should have two semesters of calculus, one semester of high-level programming language (e.g., Basic, Fortran, C/C++, Java), and a background in some area of subsurface science. The course will be delivered by H.323 videoconferencing.
Instructors: Dr. Don Morton, Department of Computer Science at the University of Montana (406-243-4975; morton@cs.umt.edu); Dr. David Ogbe, Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks (907-474-2668; ffdoo@uaf.edu).
Schedule:
Mondays and Wednesdays
04:30PM - 06:00PM Mountain
Method of Delivery: H.323 Videoconferencing
First Class: August 25, 2003
Last Class: December 10, 2003
Final Exam: Week of December 15-19, 2003
Registration: Interested students should be graduate students at an INRA university and should register at their home university. Contact the graduate dean for details.
Course Summary: CompMethods.Fall03.pdf
Spring Semester, 2005 – Environmental Risk Assessment
Course Description: This three-credit course is presented entirely via the Internet. The course covers the characterization of population exposures and the evidence used to identify environmental substances that may pose a human health risk. The main topics are the theory and methods for estimating risk: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. There will be assigned tasks with due dates, typically weekly, but no classroom meetings. The course will start January 2005, and all work must be completed in May 2005. The course format is designed for full and part-time students and working professionals with degrees in engineering or the natural science who want to learn more about the process of evaluating potential human health effects of chemicals in the environment. The course will treat communications regarding risks and public involvement.
Instructor: Dr. Robert A. Perkins, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks (907-474-7694; ffrap@uaf.edu).
Registration: Interested students should be graduate students at an INRA university and should register at their home university. Contact the graduate dean for details.